


How Things Fit Together

by monogramsalarm (orphan_account)



Category: Tuck Everlasting - Miller/Tysen/Shear & Federle
Genre: AU, Gen, Nobody Drank the Water Soooooo, This Is Fine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 08:32:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7927933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/monogramsalarm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Tuck family's celebrations had always been so enjoyable. But, things don't stay perfect for long.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How Things Fit Together

**Author's Note:**

> I've posted this on Tumblr before, but I haven't put any of my works on here yet.

The day had started out perfectly. Miles and his family were spending the day with his parents and brother. He was in a bit of a mood due to Rose finding a few grey hairs above his left ear, but those he blamed on dealing with his reckless younger brother _and_ a rowdy seven year old. His brother had actually matured a lot in the time they lived in Treegap. He’d even finally gotten a place away from his parents, though it didn’t seem like he was going to settle down for a while. Then again, Jesse was never the type to settle down. It was weird, for a while it felt as if time stood still, but then time seemed to move quicker than Miles could keep up with it. Rose was a teacher during the week, so Miles stayed home and took care of their boy Thomas. Soon, his family became his life, but he couldn’t have been more thrilled about it.

Miles walked into the familiar cabin and grinned at his mother as Thomas ran past them to find his favorite uncle. Mae Tuck loved seeing her son in such a constant good mood and couldn’t imagine what would happen if he lost his cheery demeanor. She gave her boy a warm embrace and his smile widened.

“Great to see you, Ma! Rose and I brought a cake since Jesse’s birthday is in a few days. We’re traveling to Yonkers to visit her parents then, so we’re going to miss it. An early birthday celebration is better than a late one,” he took the large glass pan from Rose and handed it to his mother.

“That is so thoughtful of you, Miles!” Mae cheered. “He’s going to love it, I just know it,” she kissed his cheek and took the pan to the kitchen, chattering about recipes with Rose. Miles saw his brother helping Thomas climb a tree outside and walked out, casually putting his hands into his pockets. Jesse noticed him and a smug grin lit up his face.

“I see you’re going grey, old man,” Jesse teased, causing Miles to roll his eyes.

“Who’s the old man? The one with the grey hair or the one finally turning thirty tomorrow?” he punched Jesse’s arm playfully, forgetting that he was supposed to be a role model for his son, who was now running towards the small lake. “Be careful, Thomas! Don’t go in past your knees unless granddaddy is watching!” Miles gestured to Angus, who was standing at the shore, greeting Thomas in his friendly, over-exuberant “granddaddy voice,” as he called it. Whenever Angus talked to Thomas, his normally gruff voice seemed to hike up an octave and got about twice as loud. Miles smiled at the scene, knowing how much his parents appreciated having his family over. Turning back to Jesse, he saw that his expression had darkened and he raised an eyebrow. “You okay there?” Miles questioned, nudging him.

“I just never gave it much thought but, we’re growing up so quickly. I wish I could time and live like this forever,” Jesse sighed, hopping down from the tree. He now stood almost as tall as his brother, not the short teenager he used to be. Miles wrapped an arm around him, grinning.

“Yeah, but imagine how it would feel to be a teenager forever,” Miles pointed out. “This way, you get to learn and grow. Imagine being a foot shorter than me for all eternity,” he joked lightly, causing Jesse to finally crack a smile. They watched their father play with Thomas in the water before Jesse spoke up again.

“You’re right. I’m just feeling bitter about it. But _you_ should be the one who’s bitter! Rose will probably stay beautiful for a long time and you’re already going grey.” Jesse elbowed him, causing Miles to smack him back. They lightly bickered until they heard Angus yell over the water at them.

“Jesse, Miles, behave! I shouldn’t have to keep telling you this, especially you Miles! You have a son to be an example for!” he called out. Jesse nudged his brother again, smirking.

“Yeah Miles, you’re a father. Have some self-respect,” he hopped up in the tree again to escape Miles’ inevitable retaliation. Angus walked by them on his way back to the house to get Thomas some dry clothes, handing Miles an axe from on top of the tiny wood pile near the house.

“Give this to your brother up there, we need more wood and if he’s insisting on staying up there, he might as well do something useful,” he chuckled.

“Will do. Hey, do you want me to take Thomas inside for you? I mean, he _is_ my son,” he shrugged, handing the axe up to Jesse in the tree. Angus chuckled and patted Miles on the back.

“I think he enjoys the time with his grandparents. Besides, I know your mother will be excited that she can take new measurements for a new sweater for him,” he hoisted Thomas up on his shoulders and walked back to the house as Miles smiled, watching them leave. That was the last moment that everything seemed to be okay.

A deafening crack was heard from above as time seemed to stop. Miles looked up to see the branch beneath his brothers feet collapse and break off. His heart skipped a beat as Jesse lost his grip and plummeted. The fall from those thirty feet only lasted a few seconds, but felt like an eternity. Miles wished he could have run to his brother; to stop his fall. But he remained frozen in place, only able to look on in horror at his younger brother falling headfirst to the leaf-cluttered ground beneath them. He desperately wished he could forget the sound as Jesse’s body collided with the ground. The horrible sound as Jesse’s bones cracked, his neck breaking upon impact.

“JESSE!” Miles’ broken shriek sounded far away as he desperately dashed for his brother’s limp body. Kneeling beside Jesse, he felt for a pulse. After a minute, sobs began to rise up in Miles’ throat. Nothing. He just sat there, feeling useless, clutching his brother’s dead body. In an instant, his bright brother Jesse, who was filled with purpose and potential and had so much left ahead of him, was gone. “P-Pa! Come quickly!” Miles managed to choke out, trying to fight back the wave of emotions hitting him like a freight train.

Miles wished he could forget the rest of that day. He wished that when he closed his eyes at night, he wouldn’t hear his mother’s sobs or see his father break down in front of him for the first time. Miles wished that he never had to calmly explain to his son why he would never play with his favorite uncle ever again. He wanted nothing more than to celebrate his brother’s thirtieth birthday four days later, not have to make preparations for the funeral of a boy who would forever be twenty-nine. But most of all, he wished that he could have stopped time. Miles would think for years about the conversation he’d had with Jesse just moments before it happened. How Jesse wished that he could live forever.

The place Jesse had in their family seemed to stick out more once he was gone. Thomas no longer wanted to climb a tree without his favorite uncle by his side,and Rose noticed how empty the rooms seemed to be without his loud voice telling colorful stories. Mae and Angus never forgot the way their boy smiled or how he could bring light into their home just by being there. They realized how quiet it was without their boys arguing with each other. The silence was so much worse than the light bickering they once thought was a nuisance. Miles lost his best friend and his brother in the same instant and could never quite seem to muster a genuine smile after that day. But, nobody ever thinks about what they have until it’s gone. They never notice how things fit together until one piece goes missing.


End file.
